Is Annual AC servicing necessary?
We’ll start with the answer – YES, it is necessary to service AC every year irrespective of usage.
An air conditioner is surely top of the list of appliances that make our lives livable. With the flick of a button, your home or office gets comfortable within minutes. The aircon removes humidity, and you feel instantly refreshed. That is the magic of your aircon. Recent advances in technology have made aircon units more sophisticated. They don’t require voltage stabilizers. Many new features are being added rapidly.
Aircons operate in a harsh environment – working for 12-14 hours a day, removing heat constantly while bearing the humidity and dust.
v Aircons should be serviced at least once annually, or more frequently, depending on the situation.
The importance of aircon servicing
Singapore is a tropical country. Here is the environment your aircon has to bear:
- Hot temperature, rising as much as 35 degrees Celsius
- High humidity level throughout the year
- Regular rainfall
- Dust, dirt, and debris
- Salt that corrodes metal
- 12-14 hours, or more, of everyday use
Needless to say, your aircon works hard to provide you the comfort you desire. This harsh environment affects the efficiency and effectiveness of your aircon.
v Your aircon loses about 5% efficiency if it is not serviced as per schedule.
Effects of ignoring aircon service
Following is the set of problems that you will face if you ignore the aircon service:
- Loss of efficiency
- Decreased and delayed cooling
- Higher electricity bills
- Increased wear and tear of aircon components
- Premature failure of aircon parts, which means a lot of discomfort
- Expensive repairs
v Ignoring aircon service may cause the AC to fail prematurely, leading to expensive repair
How will regular service benefit you?
Regular aircon service will take care of its components, and the unit would continue to work at peak efficiency. Aircon components have less wear and tear, which leads to an increase in the life of your aircon.
v Regular service can prevent premature failure which is extremely expensive
While routine maintenance is something you can learn to do yourself, once-a-year call a professional serviceman to get your aircon in top order. Depending on usage and environmental conditions, you may need to call the serviceman frequently.
Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, and Daikin are the top aircon brands used in Singapore. These aircons are expensive and replacement of parts, too, is costly.
Let’s understand with an example – The Cost of Failure
Description
SGD
Average cost of new, branded aircon
2000-4500^
Indicative labor charges for compressor replacement (Daikin)
560-950*
Routine servicing (4 times a year)
25 – 35 per FCU
Deep cleaning and chemical servicing – one-time cost
140-200
Do-it-yourself cleaning of filters, and coils
FREE
- Compressor replacement labor cost picked up from Daikin.sg
^ Depends on the system 3, system 4 or system 5 aircons
The labor charges alone for the replacement of a failed Daikin aircon compressor is between SGD 560 to SGD 950. Including the compressor unit, labor cost, refrigerant gas charge, you may end up paying over SGD 1500 in case of compressor failure.
v Imagine paying SGD 1500 or more for getting an aircon compressor fixed. That’s over one-third of the cost of a new aircon.
Similarly, the replacement of failure-prone parts like capacitors, printed circuit board (PCB), fan motor, etc., can run into hundreds of dollars. The inconvenience of having an aircon during repairs is another thing to consider.
v A failed evaporator coil cannot be changed at your premises. The AC would need to be dismantled, transported to the service shop, repaired, and then again, transportation and installation. Expensive component replacements can go upwards of SGD 2000.
How to prevent these failures?
Basic cleaning of aircon filters, condenser coil, and evaporator coil are easy. You can do it yourself under an hour, after some practice.
Professional service personnel has a keen eye for detecting failing parts. A warning sign, if detected, can be fixed early for significantly less amount of money. There are many providers of aircon service in Singapore. Contact them and have your appointment fixed.
Routine aircon service and maintenance are substantially cheaper than the replacement of failed parts. Even repairs are extremely expensive.
Conclusion
Annual aircon service is mandatory for efficient operation. Depending on circumstances, you may need to get your aircon serviced up to 4-5 times a year. Coil cleaning is a simple process and can be done by oneself without a need for expertise. Aircon damage and repairs are astronomically expensive than routine service. The longevity of the unit and power consumption reduces for a well-maintained aircon. You may recoup the money spent on service in electricity savings alone. For coil cleaning annually in Singapore, you can engage MCL Airconditioning at aircon service for good quality work with affordable price. MCL is aircon servicing Singapore company which can be trusted for quality and workmanship..